"I'm teaching you how to command military operations that require sacrifice without letting that sacrifice destroy your ability to continue commanding." Her voice was gentle despite the brutal subject. "This is part of leadership you haven't fully experienced yet. Ordering deaths that are necessary but feel wrong. Tomorrow you'll give command that kills a thousand demons. You need to be ready for what that feels like."
Liam was quiet, processing advice that was simultaneously caring and ruthless. Lilith was preparing him for psychological trauma of command by acknowledging it in advance.
"Does it get easier?" he asked. "Ordering deaths?"
"No. It gets more familiar. Different thing." She leaned back. "First time I ordered assault that cost lives, I spent three days afterwards questioning every decision. Calculating whether different approach might have saved more demons. Nearly paralyzed myself with guilt and tactical second-guessing."
"What changed?"
